yes tilly, 'when will there be good news' is another jackson brodie. i am quite flattened by kate atkinson. totally absorbing, harrowing and engaging. but sort of forgettable. am going to try case histories again i think.

my library is having barbara ewing in next week with the mesmerist for their book club.

Just finished the book a day late gah!, have been reading on and off for 3 weeks. Reading and 2 month old baby do not seem to be compatible. That said, I really enjoyed the book, roll on Jan!

Sorry morningpaper - I was wondering where you were, should have sent you a text. Can do that next time if you want?

Can't believe you're already wrapping your presents - mine are still awaiting identification. Got my 6 month old sorted (scrunched up wrapping paper) but everyone else is a mystery.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED IT

I WAS HERE FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND THEN I STARTED WRAPPING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FFS

well I'm 12 hours too late

"It can be odd to be totally absorbed by a book even when you're not sure you actually LIKE it very much. "

I agree

and also I agree with the poster who said it seemed like a warning not to have children because it opens you up to so much vulnerability

(but that might have been me projecting my own terrors feelings)

I thought the humour was good but there isn't much you can do to lift that sort of story into the humorous

I can't believe I fecking missed it AND there's no book club next month <pout>

can we sign up to an email alert when the book club discussion starts?!

OMG I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THIS

<cries> I read the book and everything

I agree lalaa as I read it in small chunks before I fell asleep each night. Would pick it up next eve trying to remember which story I was following. It actually moved a bit too slowly for me, by the time the Caroline story was introduced I was almost losing interest in the large number of characters and just wanting the story to move on.

Thanks everyone for a great chat. Currently trying to decide whether to get to grips with her new HB - anyone who has read it please let me know what you make of it (and if it is as harrowing as this one).

Details of 2009 dates to come.

I found this difficult to put down, but also difficult to keep up with - the different cases running along side each other sometimes lost me. This, I think in part is because I was reading it in 10 minute bursts before I fell asleep but also because it was like three different stories, and I never really got to 'know' most of the characters as much as I would have liked to. I would have liked to have known more about the Caroline character, and about Jackson himself. Some of the characters and their back-stories were difficult to retain in my mind!

Was on the edge of snow at weekend in Hertfordshire, and that was enough for me. No power cuts.